When attempting to establish a call or other type of interactive voice communication, the calling party may have a specific message to provide to the called party. In such a circumstance, it is often useful to get the correct message to the called party. Typically, mail systems have been used for this purpose. In certain situations, however, voice mail may not be a first choice. For example, a calling party may want to speak with a called party directly, and if refused or unable to connect, may be unprepared to leave a voice mail. Thus, there's a need to be able to leave a preconfigured provisional message when an event such as a failed call attempt occurs.